Turbo Diesel Buyer's Guide
Buying A New Truck

By:  Jim Anderson

When you buy a new truck, you are protected by a manufacturer’s warranty and the integrity of the dealer from whom you purchase. When buying a used vehicle, you are much less protected by the law and frequently will have no warranty from a manufacturer to fall back on in case of a problem. Therefore you must be much more careful in inspecting your intended purchase. The benefits to the used truck purchase: the vehicle cost is less than new, used trucks typically have had the “new vehicle” bugs fixed, and they represent greater value for the dollar since the initial depreciation has already been taken by the first owner.

A whole market has sprung up in the last few years for used Dodge/Cummins turbo diesel trucks, fueled in part by the high cost of a new one, and by the fact that even trucks with high mileage have lots of life left in them due to the legendary reliability and durability of the Cummins diesel.

This has had a side benefit in that used Dodge/Cummins trucks have retained a greater percentage of their resale value than the average for all diesel trucks, and they command high prices on used vehicle lots. This means you may pay more for your truck but will get more for it when you eventually become a seller. A well maintained truck with high mileage should not be disregarded as a good value, since with good regular maintenance these trucks can reliably run half a million miles and more!

Vehicle purchasing can be divided into two parts. One is buying the metal, and the other is buying the money used for the purchase. Your goal as a used truck purchaser is to get both parts right.

How do you select just the right truck, and how do you make sure it has been well maintained? You surely don’t want to buy a “lemon” when an engine can cost upwards of $7,000,  a new transmission can cost upwards of $3,500, and a P-7100 rebuilt injection pump can cost you $1,400. Here are some buying tips to help you find just the right one for you!

Keep in mind that this is likely the second largest purchase you’ll ever make, second only to a home. Some folks spend more on their transportation in their lifetime than they spend on housing. While you may live in one place your entire life, the average owner trades vehicles once every five years. Every dollar saved on the purchase price of either a home or a vehicle will also save on interest dollars paid back if you are getting a loan. So a dollar saved may actually amount to as much as $1.25 over the life of the loan.  

Keep in mind that this is likely the second largest purchase you'll ever make, 
second only to a home.

Inform Yourself

Before you ever set foot on a dealer lot or peruse the want ads, take the time to familiarize yourself with the various models and options offered by the manufacturer, and see how they match your intended use. Narrow your search down to those models and model years which fit your budget and which will do the intended job. Select only those models with the options you want. Make a list of specifications, keep it with you during your search, and keep to your list.

For example, if you determine you want a truck for hauling and towing, but want an extended cab model with SLT interior, do the research to find which models and options are required to tow the intended weight, then stick to inspecting trucks which meet those criteria. Your familiarization session will lead you to ask the right questions when you visit the dealer lot or make contact with private sellers.

Next, check the used vehicle value guides. Most banks and other agencies that make car loans will have a variety of used vehicle value guides such as the Kelly Blue Book or NADA book that list wholesale, retail, and loan values for each model, each accessory, and offer mileage compensation factors. These books are filled with option facts and regional pricing, so can serve as a useful guide to true worth.  For those with a computer, walk your fingers across a computer keyboard and visit the various web sites that offer needed information. These include Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com), NADA used truck guide (NADA.com), carprice.com, edmunds.com, and others. The dot com sites often track actual prices paid for trucks in your area or in a nearby metropolitan area.

If you want to research a particular truck, web sites exist that allow you to check a particular serial numbered truck for lost, stolen, totaled, reconstructed, etc, titles (carfax.com) for a nominal fee. You can also determine if a vehicle has been included in federal safety recalls by visiting several other sites. Mining information from the web can be rewarding, though time consuming, but the more thorough your research at this stage, the more informed you will become as a buyer.

Now is also the time to make a call to your automobile insurance agent for a rate quote to make sure there are no after-the-purchase unpleasant surprises in this part of truck ownership.

If you plan to get a loan for the vehicle, now is also a good time to shop around for the best interest rate and payment plans, and to get approval for the loan. It is as important to shop for the cost of money as it is to negotiate a good price for the truck. After you have done your research, then it is finally time to go looking for just the right truck! You now have a pretty good idea of what you want, what you might have to pay, and how you’re going to pay for it.

My advice is to buy the latest model truck with the lowest mileage that you can afford. The newer the truck, the lower the maintenance and repair costs are likely to be over time. Look for a well-maintained “cream puff.” They’re out there, but it is up to you to find them.

Inspection Time

In looking at a used vehicle, don’t be dazzled by surface shine. Look behind the shine to uncover a vehicle’s true condition. Look at the truck’s overall cleanliness. There is a difference in appearance between a good cleanup job and continuous regular cleaning over the truck’s life to the present. Look at the interior for worn carpets and upholstery. (The editor’s favorite place to check for attention to detail cleanliness – the door jambs. A clean door jamb typically indicates a vehicle that has been fanatically maintained.) Wear should be commensurate with mileage. Look underneath the body for caked mud and dirt. This indicates off-road operation or an unintentional trip into the ditch. Look under the hood. Lots of dirt can indicate severe use and little maintenance.

Check for worn or chafed hoses, oil leaks, coolant leaks, etc. Pull the dipsticks and check fluid colors and condition.

Sight down the body sides to see if the panels are smooth. If they’re wavy, the truck has been wrecked, and further inspection underneath will reveal the severity of the accident. Paint color differences between panels and or variations in body seam gaps also indicate a wreck in the truck’s past.

Inspect tires for uneven wear to determine if there are suspension or axle problems. This can also be an indicator of improperly repaired wreck damage.

Look for lube drips from the underside of the engine, transmission and axles. Seal repairs may have to be made. A light oil drip or evidence of misting near the engine road draft tube is normal. Look in the glove box and console to see if any maintenance receipts or records have been left behind and compare them with what you see. Go for a ride and note if the engine idles smoothly and pulls strongly. Do the transmission and clutch work as intended? Does the automatic transmission shift without slipping or “hanging between gears”? Do the brakes pull to one side? Does the truck steer correctly?

While driving, note if there is excessive smoke from the exhaust. Black smoke indicates over-fueling or a clogged air filter. White or gray smoke indicates excessive oil getting by the piston rings or an injection pump problem. A puff of smoke of any color at startup is normal, but should abate when the engine warms.

Walk around the truck immediately after the ride and note any smells of hot dragging brakes or leaking fuel. A hot oil smell can indicate an oil leak onto the exhaust system.

Don’t be embarrassed to ask to put the truck up on a lift for a more thorough inspection, or to take the truck to a trusted mechanic for a professional inspection. A professional independent inspection for a fee is cheap insurance that you are making a wise purchase decision. After you are fully satisfied that the truck is what it is represented to be, move on to the next step.

Contact the Owner

There are many possible reasons why this particular truck came to be for sale, and it is up to you to determine the true reason. Is the owner financially able to afford a new vehicle with more fancy gadgets, or was the owner tired of fixing a problem or problems repeatedly? Is the owner simply selling a vehicle that is no longer needed? It is up to you to find out.

When you find a likely candidate and your search narrows to a specific vehicle you may want to buy, consult your list again to make sure it meets all criteria. First on your “to do” list following a second general walk-around inspection and a ride-and-drive session of a particular truck should be some research to find out who the former owner was and initiate a conversation.

If you’re buying from a dealer, ask the owner what the mileage was at turn in time and on what date the vehicle was turned in. If the truck has been in a dealer’s possession for a while, has it been used for hauling chores with no maintenance? Have other potential buyers shied away from it for some reason not readily evident? Find out why. Ask the former owner what maintenance has been performed and when, and if the truck has been wrecked. What was it used for? Was it satisfactory for that use? If the owner has maintenance records, arrange to pick them up if you buy the truck.

Finishing Up

You’ve done the research, negotiated the price, and now it is time to exchange dollars for the vehicle. The job’s not done until the paperwork is finished – and the paperwork had better be right! If buying from a dealer, you should receive a bill of sale and certification of the odometer reading, along with several other pieces of paper, which will vary by state. Usually the dealer will apply for a new title in your name. If buying from a private individual, you should receive a clear title signed over to you by the owner. You will then take the title to your vehicle registration place to get a new title in your name.

Either a bill of sale from a dealer or a signed title from the owner should be placed in your hands at the time you give them your check – no exceptions, and no excuses by the seller.  Remember, the job’s not done until the paperwork is right!

Make sure the serial number on all paperwork agrees with the serial number stamped into the left front corner of the dashboard. Paperwork mistakes in this area are frequent and hard to correct later.

Before driving your new purchase home, call your insurance agent to insurance. Failure to do so could have disastrous consequences just down the road.

Finally, if there is any remaining warranty on the vehicle, be sure to fill out and send in the paperwork to get it transferred to you. If the truck is less than five years old and has less than 100,000 miles on the odometer, you should transfer the remaining engine warranty. That’s it. You now own your new (to you) truck, and if you have researched fully and purchased carefully, you’ll have many miles of enjoyable cruisin’ ahead of you.

Updated:  November, 2001